Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Sampling. TSI Quest Quest Environmental Monitor EVM Series, EVM-7

6 Introduction

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Sampling

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Sampling

According to the American Lung Association, Volatile Organic Compounds (also referred to as VOCs) are one of the top Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) pollutants. These include:

 Biological agents (mold, dust, mites, etc.)

 Formaldehyde

 Second-hand tobacco smoke

 Volatile organic compounds (measured with a PID detector)

Serious, long-term exposure could lead to health affects including leukemia, cancer, eye and respiratory irritations and short term effects such as dizziness, memory loss, and visual impairments.

With the EVM you have the following parameters:

 Range 0 to 2,000 ppm Isobutylene.

 Calibrated with Sensitivity 1.0, using Isobutylene. Response varies with each VOC.

 Units selection: ppm, ppb, mg/m 3 (for ppm PID sensor) or µg/m 3 (for ppb PID sensor).

Temperature, Relative Humidity, Dew Point

It is important to monitor temperature, control moisture, relative humidity, and monitor dew point levels in occupied spaces such as office buildings, schools, and hospitals, to name a few. With the presence of too much moisture mixed with dirt/dust particles, this can contaminate the environment and enable mold to thrive. High levels of relative humidity (RH) is a contributor of spreading and growing biological pollutants such as molds, mildew, viruses, mites, building dust, and pollen. Failure to control water leakage from humidifiers, refrigerators, and ventilation equipment can also lead to high levels of RH and high Dew Point. For appropriate air quality control, RH levels should be maintained between 30 to

50 percent in a home/office environment. Some of the common side effects include nausea, headaches, running nose, coughing, and difficulty breathing to name a few.

What the Standards Say

Many organizations have studied and analyzed the effects of toxic gas and particulate exposures. As a result, standards were developed to regulate exposure. In the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Mine and Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), and the

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), NFPA (National Fire and

Protection Agency), National Institute and Technology (NIST), and American Society of Heating,

Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning (ASHRAE) have all created regulations and limitations on total permissible exposure levels.

International standards are specified by the health and safety regulations such as the European Union

(EU) and the European Committee of Air Handling and Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturers

(EUROVENT-CEDOMAF). For Canadian standards, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) specifies air quality guidelines/regulations.

EVM Series User Manual

7 What the Standards Say

Resources

Resources

To access some of these copyrighted standards, refer to the following:

OSHA http://www.osha.gov

NFPA-654 http:///www.nfpa.org

MSHA

NIOSH http://www.msha.gov

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh

ACGIH

ASHRAE

NIST

IEC

CSA http://www.cdc.gov/niosh http://www.ashrae.org

http://www.nist.gov

http://www.iec.ch

http://www.csa.ca

EVM Series User Manual